Jer. 7. A call to true repentance, Jer. 7:1–7; and not, living in theft, murder, adultery, perjury, &c.. to trust in the outward worship and temple of God, by the example of Shiloh, Jer. 7:8–15. The prophet is forbid to pray for them, Jer. 7:16. Their idolatry, and its judgment, Jer. 7:17–20.

See Jer. 1:2. This is the title of a new sermon, much of the nature of the former, which readeth to Jer. 10:0.

Stand in the gate, viz. the east gate, which was chiefly frequented; this being the public place of going out and coming in, and where the people were then wont to assemble, Jer. 26:2, Jer. 26:10; and he is said to stand, because he was to execute the office of a preacher, Jer.

Amend your ways and your doings, i.e. mend your manners. Amending signifies both to turn from our evil works, and make our good better. I will cause you to dwell in this place; you shall not go into captivity, implying that otherwise they should; he will continue their habitations to them from age…

Because this was God’s house, wherein he had promised to dwell, and that for ever, Ps. 132:13–14, they flattered themselves that he could dwell no where else, and would not depart, and certainly would not suffer the Chaldeans to destroy this, and therefore that no evil could befall them, as they…

He tells them, it is not their vain confidence in their privileges, and boasting of the temple, but only their serious and thorough repentance in turning to God, both in point of piety and equity, that can secure them. Between a man and his neighbour, i.e.

Here they are cautioned against three sins that this people were generally addicted to, oppression, blood, and idolatry; and he instanceth in the worst of oppressions, viz.

Then, i.e. upon this condition, that you will return unto me, then either I will establish and fix you in the land; or, as anciently read, sachanti in kal, I will dwell, viz. amongst you in this place, otherwise not. In this place, viz.

Behold; take notice of it, and think of it seriously. Ye trust in lying words; either flattering yourselves with your own conceits, whereby, in your discourses, you strengthen one another; or depending upon the delusions of your false prophets, Jer. 5:31, Jer.

Here the prophet mentions divers of those sins in which they were notorious, they were thieves, murderers, adulterers, perjured idolaters, &c, :q.d. Can you think that this can be grateful unto me, or any whit advantageous to yourselves, to frequent my house, and yet retain these odious sins, as if…

And come and stand before me in this house; in the temple; either as if they had done no such thing, like the whore, that wipes her mouth, and saith she hath done no wickedness, Prov.

Robbers, Heb. breakers through. The word is taken in a large notion for all sorts of plunderers, whether in house, Ezek. 7:22, or field, highway-men, Dan. 11:14.

Shiloh; a place that did belong to the tribe of Ephraim, Ps. 78:60, Ps. 78:67; the situation whereof see Judg. 21:19; and called God’s house, as the temple is, 1 Sam. 1:3, 1 Sam.

These works; either the same, or as bad, or worse than they did at Shiloh; or particularly those mentioned Jer. 7:9. Rising up early; a metaphor taken from persons that are diligent in their business, they use to rise up early: q.d.

Therefore, because they have added this their obstinate refusing of all admonitions to the rest of their provocations, will I do unto this house, viz. cause the consecrated things of the temple to be taken away by the hand of the Babylonians. The place, see Jer. 7:7, which I gave to you, viz.

You shall have my presence with and watchful eye over you no more, but I will send you into captivity to Babylon. as I did your brethren into Assyria. See on 2 Kings 17:6, 2 Kings 17:18.

God forbids his prophets to pray for them in any kind by any cry or intercession; or, running upon me, which shows that God is resolved to root them out, seeing he will admit of no intercession; according as he charged Moses, Ex. 32:10, and the like Jer. 11:14.

q.d. How canst thou pass along the streets but thou must needs be an eye witness of their abominations, to thy no small trouble and sorrow? as Sodom was to Lot, 2 Pet.

Here God shows how busily they are employed from the youngest to the oldest, and how industrious for their idolatry, Jer. 44:1–7, Matt. 24:38; every one in the family doth somewhat towards it. The children gather wood, or sticks; for the word is plural, and so used Num.

Do they think to grieve me, and trouble my mind? They are deceived, I am without passion, and can be without their offerings. Will not they themselves feel the smart of it? Jer. 7:6. Will they not procure anger to themselves, as an arrow falls on the head of him that shoots? 1 Cor.

Mine anger; put for his revenge, by a metonymy of the cause for the effect. My fury: this expresseth his anger boiled up to the height, Jer. 4:4. Poured out; a metaphor taken from violent rains; see Jer.

The ironical words of one that seems to be in a great rage: Take those that are peculiar, and to be all burnt to me, Lev. 1:9, and put them to your own of what kind soever; eat them, and do what you will with them, I will have none of them; take it all and fill your own bellies, for you sacrifice…

Some would argue from hence that sacrifices were at first an invention of men, as papists and Socinians; and because they should not be used to idols, God gave way for the introducing them into his worship; but it is evident in Scripture that they have been of Divine institution ever since Adam,…

This thing, or word, which is the rule by which all obedience is to be tried, viz. what commands, every thing else being but mere superstition. That it may be well unto you: he shows what would be the good effect of their obedience, Ex. 15:26, Deut. 5:29, Deut.

Nor inclined their ear: it notes something of a higher degree of non-attention than bare not hearkening, viz. their not listening that they might obey what they hear, Jer. 7:26, Jer. 11:8, noting not only their slightness, but their stiffness. The imagination, or stubbornness. See Jer. 3:17.

God seems to upbraid them with their stock, they came of a perverse kind, their very fathers were so before them, and they have continued in their perverseness, Neh.

Their fathers had done bad enough, but they were so far from reforming, that they did worse than their fathers, Judg. 2:19, Jer. 9:3; and whereas he had said before your fathers, now changing the person he saith their fathers, as it were in great displeasure turning away from them to the prophet,…

Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them, viz. revive upon them all that thou hast been speaking to them from me these forty years and upwards.

This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God; spoke in a way of contempt: q.d. A nation more than heathenish; though they profess themselves a peculiar people to me, yet to be numbered among the Gentiles. Nor receiveth correction, i.e. answer not the ends of correction, viz.

Cut off thine hair; it was a usual token of sorrow among the Jews to cut off the hair, Job 1:20, Isa. 15:2, Mic. 1:16. But here he speaketh either, 1. To Jeremiah; for O Jerusalem is not in the text; or, 2.

The children of Judah; either Judah’s posterity, Josh. 14:6, or Judah’s inhabitants, which are often called their children; so Jer. 2:16. In my sight, i.e. though they will not see it, yet I see it, and they shall know that it is in my sight, i.e. that it displeaseth me.

High places of Tophet; See Poole “Isa. 30:33”. It comes from Toph, that signifies a drum, because they did beat drums to hinder the noise of their children’s screeches, when they burnt them in sacrifice upon the altars, called here, high places, to Moloch, which is also called Melchom.

It shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom: they were called so after this, and are known by those names to this day; but the meaning is, they shall acquire a name from another occasion, that shall suit them as well, viz.

The birds and beasts of prey shall feed on them, being exposed to open view for want of interment, Jer. 19:7, and none shall fray them away; ( a piece of humanity that even nature itself teacheth;) either by reason of the enemy’s presence, for fear of whom they durst not; or rather, because there…

All kind and degrees of mirth shall cease, Rev. 18:23, all places shall be filled with lamentations and woe; their singing shall be turned into sighing; they shall lay aside all things that are for the comfort of Human society, which is to be understood in this expression.